White Flag
by Peregrine2
Summary: Patrick mulls over the events between the dance and the night of Kat's party.
1. Chapter 1

White Flag-Katrick, Rated T just in case.

Summary: Missing scenes between the dance and Kat's walk on the wild side.

Note: This is dedicated to nys1024. Thanks for sticking by me. Blackberries rule!

****

It all starts with Kat's chirpy sister waylaying me between classes. I have my head in a graphic novel and can barely follow her rapid-fire entreaty and find my attention ping-ponging between crusty exoskeletons and thoughts of Kat in a skimpy dress. So that's what spills out when I say yes, enjoying the way Kat's mouth opens at my suggestion (uttered with tongue firmly in cheek).

I am not used to innocent girls chatting me up…like _ever_. They give me a wide berth and the ones that remain want only one thing from me. If it's not a roll in the hay, it's a ride on my bike and a chance to tell everyone they did _it_ (underscored and followed by a zillion exclamation points) with me.

Kat may not be that girl, jabbering away in her journal about impossible romance with caped invaders, but the rest of her fair sex are twittering away about me. I've been RT'ed and #ed by a wave of airheads, and my reputation as a ghoul grows by the day. It's not something I cultivate, believe me.

Nor is it helped by the Twilight dross that decorates every kiosk and newsstand. My Aunt Rachel sells this drivel by the truckload, and it keeps me in clean underwear and socks, but that doesn't mean I have to live the nightmare.

_Go sparkle on someone else_ is one of my hand painted tees, along with a slash through Edward's face.

So how is that I find myself staring at my pale face in a mirror, forever plagued by the riot of curls that refuses to stay tamed? Lesser combs than my metal one have been lost forever in the black hole that surrounds my head. Water only tamps it down until the dry air springs it back into a relentless sea of sex hair.

I finally give it up and decide that the Johnny Cash look will have to do. I jump on my bike and wonder what Wally will do when I show up on his doorstep. From the flattering description offered up by Bianca, he and I will lock horns before I cross the threshold.

*****

Kat gets her vim and vigor from Daddy Dearest. Wind them both up and they'll spit all over you. The mere mention of my bike cranks Wally up to a nice respectable level, and it's all I can do to contain my laughter as I am hustled out of the house.

"Was that really necessary?" Kat asks as she slips behind the wheel.

"Naw, but it was fun."

I eye her throughout the short ride to Padua, amazed at how much difference a dress can make. And what a dress it is. It hugs her in all the right places, and her gorgeous form rises like a white swan from its top. Legs that go on forever complete her transformation, and she is a skein of raven splendor as she turns in my arms.

The punch is watered down Koolaid, and the cookies are day old specials from the local market. I can see that the planning committee went all out for Fall Fling. We roll our eyes in unison and find a good spot upstairs to mock our unwitting classmates.

We are both on a roll, and it's great fun when the snarky comments are directed at someone else. I find a way to bring up the kiss that shall not be named, and Kat brushes it away like a gnat. But it shimmers in the air between us, and I fully intend to try again at the beach.

Nature calls and I book time to take a leak, and that's when I come face to face with a cloud of pot smoke and the school's own tattle tale.

*****

_I'm not a narc, I'm here on a date, now do you mind?_

It's Sunday night, and I'm having a good wallow.

I took a chance on Kat Stratford and lost. You might say I gambled with my reputation, because they dragged me down that hall without a second thought. What did I expect after crossing paths with Keith and his perpetual mary jane haze?

I was barely in there two minutes before Tabitha Cook was there in my face, with that smug look I find so distasteful. How can she look at herself in the mirror every day? The light shines so brightly out of her ass that she blinds everyone in her path. People like her deserve every bad thing that happens to them and I can only hope a bus full of nuns will run her down. But until then, I am forced to deal with smarmy, mouth-breathing, bottom feeders.

My file will tell you I have a lousy attitude, and there's no hope for me. My guidance counselor encourages my work in auto shop and thinks I can work my way up to head mechanic someday…if I'm not rotting in a jail cell, that is.

That's where they sent my brother Leo, so why should they expect better from me?


	2. Chapter 2

2

It is close to midnight, and I've tried to reach Kat all weekend. By my tally, I've logged 10 phone calls and 20 text messages. Any more than that will qualify as stalking. Every time my BlackBerry flashes at me, I reach for it like a lovesick schoolgirl and feel crushing disappointment when it's yet another spam mail (do these people ever sleep?).

_What the hell am I doing?_

This is madness, pure and simple. I can practically snap my fingers and girls come crawling through the cracks. If I get into a bell ringing mood, perhaps they will salivate over me too. But before I go all Pavlovian, maybe someone can explain why I'm fretting over someone who wants no part of me?

_Admit it, you love the chase._

My friend Jess's words come back to mock me and I throw a pillow at the wall in frustration.

"Damnit." I turn off my light and decide that losing sleep over some girl (however hot she might be) is not worth it.

As it turns out, this is easier said than done. My mind keeps rehashing the scene where they dragged me away, trying one last time to catch her attention. And then it travels to the moment where I picked up my bike at her house early on Saturday morning. Right before I put on my helmet, I looked up at her window and saw her silhouetted in the soft lamp light. It seemed like forever before she dropped the shade and shut me out.

It goes on like this all night, and by the time my alarm goes off, I am a train wreck. With a disgusted hiss, I kick aside my sheets and head for the shower. A few blasts of icy cold water wake me up, but my ass is dragging as I towel myself off.

Rachel hands me a mug of her super strong coffee and I gulp it down so fast it scalds my tongue. "Christ, did you mix this with battery acid?"

She puts her hand on my shoulder for a moment. "You look like 40 miles of bad road."

My only response is an eye roll as I stuff my lunch into my backpack. With a sigh, I push my way through the back door and start up my bike, hoping I can finally catch up with Kat and give her the scoop on my brush with the law.

*****

I look for her before first period, but she's nowhere to be found. Her sister's holding court in the quad, and I have the dubious pleasure of hearing a play by play of her recent date with Beau Brody. She's clearly a lost cause, so maybe Mandella will be an easier mark.

She's off in a corner, sketching away on her pad while bopping her head to whatever Goths are listening to this week. It's easy to sneak up on her, and with my smirk firmly in place, I grab her iPod and nearly scare her to death when I sit on the picnic table next to her and peruse her playlist. "Depeche Mode? How old school."

Mandella manages not to cower as she opens her hand up. "Give it over," she says with only a slight tremor in her voice.

I keep my grip on her player and she frowns at me. "And spoil my fun? Not a chance. Let's see what else you got on here." She has an iPod touch, which is way nicer than my crappy Zune.

"What do you want?"

She cuts straight to the chase; I like that. "You tell me where Kat's hiding, and maybe I'll give your player back to you."

Mandella's hand snakes out and retrieves her beloved player. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" She points up at the second floor colonnade and I catch a fleeting glimpse of Kat doing a 180.

"Thanks," I call as I jump to my feet, taking in Mandella's bewilderment before I try once again to corner my prey.

******

Monday afternoon finds me at the beach, running along the bike trail with Rachel's fat spaniel Seymour keeping pace with me. He needs his exercise, so I always bring him along. Dogs are also chick magnets, and I've hooked up with quite a few ladies that way.

They are out in force today, flashing smiles and overly pampered bodies as I pass. I barely acknowledge any of them. There is only one face I want to see, and it's not here. One long-legged brunette catches me up short, but one sight of her Botoxed face is enough of a horror show to propel me forward at a much faster pace.

By the time we return to my starting point, I am drenched with sweat and in decidedly better spirits than I was this morning. Seymour and I start to climb the steps to the parking lot, and I almost make it to my truck before I am spotted.

"Patrick, I have a bone to pick with you." Bianca reaches down to scratch Seymour behind the ears, and he rolls on his back and makes a disgusting spectacle of himself.

It's Bianca and her friend Dawn, and she has that determined glint that I've learned to dread. "What?" I say shortly, in no mood to go fifty rounds with the younger Stratford sister.

Dawn hangs back and pets Seymour while Bianca taps my shoulder. "You can't treat my sister like that and get away with it."

The wind blows my fringe of hair into my eyes and I push it aside impatiently. "I didn't."

That seems to take some of the wind from her sails. "Didn't what?"

I pat my leg and Seymour comes loping over to me. "Get away with it."

I sense Bianca is brighter than she looks, but I am being deliberately cryptic to confuse her. "What does that mean?"

"Ask Kat. And while you're at it, check her phone logs."

With a phony smirk, I get into my truck and wait for her to move out of the way. When she continues to stand there, I say, "Do you mind?"

She finally moves to one side and watches as I back out and drive off. Risking one last look, I catch her and Dawn staring back in total bafflement.


	3. Chapter 3

3

AN: Yes, I know this is a short update, but since my time gets more jammed as the week progresses, I thought I would update.

_The CIA wants you._

I shove the note into her locker, then stage myself out of swinging range.

Kat doesn't see me and the paper falls to her feet as the locker opens.

She bends over (a very fine view) and scoops up my handiwork.

I have a good enough angle to see her brow furrow before she does a 360, only spotting the flash of my smile as I duck around the corner, happy that I finally got her attention.

The direct approach is clearly failing, so falling back on juvenilia is the next best thing. My grin widens as I head to my history class.

Thoughts of clandestine meetings with my favorite spook get me through the rest of the day, and even earn me a sour look when I get to my bike and catch a glimpse of Kat jumping into her car.

I have graduated to being noticed again, and that can only mean I'll be back in her good graces before too long. It all depends on how long she can hold a grudge, and how soon I can unearth her hideouts.

Padua is a small school, and there are only so many places to hole up in. The roof is out, for I claimed that long ago and nobody dares show their face up there—except Kat. Right about now, I am dead certain she wants no reminders of the fire kindled between us on a smoky night not so long ago.

I excel at the waiting game, and failure never enters my mind as I plot my next course of action.

*****

_Heard about your party. Did my invite get lost?_

Bianca waits for me when I get to school on Friday morning. "I checked out her phone."

My helmet comes off in my hands. "And you lived to tell the tale."

She sighs. "You're off the hook."

"Good to know." I laugh and start to walk toward the building.

Her silly high heels tap behind me as she catches up. "Don't you want to know the rest?"

I pretend not to care. "Do I have a choice?"

Bianca cuts me off at the pass. "Cut the crap, Patrick. I know you like to come off all badass, but you're just like my sister on the inside. And if you care anything about her, you'll show up at my house tonight."

"And why would I do that?" I fold my arms and challenge her with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"Because Dad is out of town, and we're raising the roof. Don't disappoint me, or I might have to hunt you down."

Now _that_ was a scary thought. "Noted."


	4. Chapter 4

4

I finish my last oil change and stop to wipe the sweat from my brow. Luis and Brad bump fists and head toward  
me.

"Hey, Verona, you got any plans?" Brad asks with a shit-eating grin.

"Maybe." I always play it cool with these dudes. They may call themselves friends, but I don't completely trust  
them. "Why?"

Luis smirks. "Word is that Norma Rae's having a party."

"Ooh, is it a fundraiser?" I pull my hands together and purse my lips.

That gets a laugh out of them and deflects attention away from any personal questions. These two are bigger gossips than most girls, which I learned the hard way when I told them I was taking Kat to the Fall Fling. Pretty  
soon, everyone in school knew the score, which made me want to crawl under the nearest rock.

"Seriously, dude, are you going?"

"With you two? Don't think so." My tone is intentionally light, which puts the ball back in my court.

Brad shakes his head like I'm making the biggest mistake of my life. "You're gonna miss out."

"Yeah, I know," I say with fake regret. "Have a good time."

"Smell ya later," Brad replies.

I have just enough time scarf down a burger and make myself presentable. And if Lady Luck stays with me, maybe I'll get some face time with Kat and not make a complete ass of myself.

******

In-N-Out Burger is jammed and I end up walking in for counter service. Padua pukes veer away from me and I smirk as one of Kat's comments about personal space comes to mind. I try to lose myself in my music, but my line of sight is intersected by the Jolly Green Giant. When my eyes reach the top, I see Cameron James smiling down at me.

"Hey, dude," I say with zero enthusiasm.

"I plan on taking your advice."

"Does this mean you're saving the rockets for Burning Man?"

He smiles weakly. "I wish. You ever been?"

"Once." After a weekend of bacchanalia, I swore off sex for a long while.

"Talk to me. Was it worth the long drive?"

"Totally." I place my order and count the seconds to my escape.

When I am not forthcoming, Cameron says, "So, we have something in common."

I snort. "Yeah? What's that?"

"The Stratford sisters hate us with the fire of a thousand suns."

The girl takes my money and I turn to say, "Only a thousand? Things are looking up."

"Don't worry, I have a plan. I'm going to their party to tell Bianca I love her."

He was like an overgrown puppy tugging at the leash. "Dude, slow down. You cannot force the issue with these girls. It takes careful handling."

I am almost out the door when he replies, "Yeah, and that's worked so well for you."

Wow, the kid has spine after all. "Don't give up."

"Thanks. You going tonight?"

With a shrug, I say, "You never know."


	5. Chapter 5

5

_And here I thought you were just a jerk. Turns out you're also a criminal._

I am fashionably late and arrive behind a gaggle of giggling frosh. Moving aside to let them pass, I fall into step behind some vaguely familiar guys who hang out in my shop class. One of them catches sight of me and quickens his pace.

The door opens and golden light limns her finely honed form. I watch as she lectures the new arrivals and threatens to castrate them. She pushes on the door and I catch it with my hand before it closes.

"Heard about your party. Did my invite get lost?" I try to keep it light, but she's not in the mood.

"Speaking of getting lost…" Kat starts to close the door in my face and I stop it again with my hand.

"C'mon, I just want to talk to you." Because that always works so well with us.

"So _talk_," she says stonily

"_Privately_," I insist, knowing that the gossip will follow us no matter what we do.

And sure enough, the buzz of excited chatter overshadows the fake dance crap that bleats from the speakers as I follow in her angry wake. The angry cadence of her stride and the resolute set of her shoulders tells me that her walls are firmly in place, and trying to break through will be next to impossible.

*****

_I've seen red flags from you ever since I met you._

Kat surprises me by sitting on the edge of her bed. "Oh, I see. When you said wait here at the dance, you really meant for like six days."

"If you ever returned a phone call, you'd know I didn't bail on you. I got arrested." Her sister and everyone else at school knew the score, so how could Kat be so clueless?

"And here I thought you were just a jerk. Turns out you're also a criminal." It was only fun when her slings and arrows were aimed at someone else.

"I didn't even do anything. The charges were dropped," I state with a bit of a whine, hoping I am finally getting through. As I sit down, I add, "So let it go."

We stare at each other for a long beat and I sense her hunger banging itself against her damned walls. "Don't," she says when my eyes implore her to forgive me.

It goes downhill from that point, and when she tosses out that line about red flags, I know I'm done here.

******

_Have fun up here in your perfect world, all by your perfect self._

Girls of every stripe give me the green light, but an Ohio upstart has the nerve to call me a red flag. What the hell does that even mean?

I've done everything but stand on my head, and she still ignores me.

Innocent until proven guilty doesn't figure in Kat Stratford's rarified world. No, my reputation makes me guilty by association. Secondhand pot smoke almost gets me sent down the river with Keith, all because my mother is a Mexican drug lord.

No, really. People say it, so it must be true. And did you hear about my Dad going on a killing spree before they gunned him down last year? _What_, you don't read The Star? I'm _shocked_.

So here I am back at home, stewing over how I've once again screwed up royally. No matter what I say or do, it isn't good enough for Queen Kat. She's been on her high horse for so long that she's stuck up there.

_Good luck getting down._

I want to smash my hand through the wall, but that will accomplish nothing except a bruised fist and a pissed off Rachel. So I kick my trash can and send my cat and dog scampering for cover under the bed. Instead of continuing my tirade, I take a few deep breaths and grab my Middleman comic and drop to the floor with it. It immerses me for quite some time, and when I hear the faint sound of my phone ringing, it doesn't register right away.

My BlackBerry is under my pillow and when I see Kat's name on the display, it nearly slides through my suddenly nerveless fingers.


	6. Chapter 6

6

"'Lo?" I say suspiciously, wondering if Bianca is the one calling.

"Hey there, whatcha doing?" Kat purrs, sounding so unlike the fierce girl I know that I nearly drop the phone again.

"Reading. _Why_?" Her inebriation is blindingly obvious, so why dwell on it?

"Because you went away mad, and you should come back."

It is close to midnight and I would much rather sleep than deal with a drunken Kat. "Is this a booty call?"

She titters and says, "No, no, no, come over so I can tell you something."

"Why not tell me now?" I stifle a yawn and wrap my other hand around Simon, who's curled up next to me.

"Because I need to do it in person." This was not your average come on, and I suspect she would regret everything tomorrow.

"Why is that?" I throw it back at her and she becomes insistent.

"Because I just do…just do it," Kat demands lightly.

Part of me wants to keep my distance, but my mischievous side wants to see Kat in a less than flattering light. And who knows what sort of ammo I could gather while I was there? "Sure, OK. I'll swing by in ten."

"Oh, goody, don't make me wait too long," Kat says flirtatiously.

"I won't." I am already pulling my boots on and grabbing my leather jacket when she hangs up.

*****

The crowd has thinned out slightly, but not enough to suit me. I see Bianca and Joey laughing in the kitchen, and she motions me over when she spots me. "Kat is pretty trashed," she says with a sigh.

"She drunk dialed me."

Bianca nods. "I was there when she called."

"This ever happen before?"

"Nope."

I look around, but there's no sign of Kat. "Where is she holding court?"

"Try the patio, but you'll have to get in line," Joey comments.

This did not bode well. I see Brad and Luis hanging out at the end of the line and brush past them with a smirk. "What the hell are you doing here?" Brad asks between belches.

Besides saving the fair maiden? Not a damned thing. "I was bored," I say over my shoulder.

They both snicker as I cut through the cloud of testosterone and finally see my quarry, dressed up as a Risky Business wannabe. What she is doing is so bizarre that I stop dead. "What the hell?"

Kat has an electric razor in hand and is giving some jock a buzz cut. "Hey, you came," she crows joyously, her hand swerving dangerously close to his eye as she greets me.

"Watch it," I warn. Yeah, I totally called it that day in auto shop when I said she should stay far away from power tools.

"I'm almost done here." She runs her fingers across the jock's flat top and nods her head. "Looks good, Dex."

He high fives her and she looks over her sunglasses at me. "You want to go next?"

"No way." I complain about my hair all the time, but there's no way she's laying her hands on me.

"Why not? I think you'd look hot without all those messy curls." Kat reaches over and musses my hair and giggles when I catch her hand. "Hey, you're spoiling my fun."

"Too bad. It ends now." There is general grumbling behind me and I turn around to glare at the drunken loons waiting for their scalping. Something in my gaze must convince them that I really am the son of a serial killer and a drug lord.

"Aww, are you jealous?" Kat asks coyly as I shove the razor in my back pocket.

"That's not the word for it," I murmur, letting her loop her arm through mine and drag me back to the party.

Bianca flashes me a grateful smile as I weave around several of my exes and propel Kat toward the stairs.

"Ooh, you want to be alone with me," Kat declares gleefully. When she spots the girl who used to stalk me, she adds, "Did you hear that, Lissa?"

WTF? Kat actually bothered to learn the name of my ex? "Let's go," I hiss as we finally make it to the first step.

She stumbles on the next step and only my quick reflexes catch her from falling backward. "My hero," Kat looks up at me adoringly, and sends my senses spinning when she caresses the side of my face.


	7. Chapter 7

7

I am used to my bedroom view from the window, so it's a bit surreal to take the normal route. Her arm is draped around my shoulders and we practically fall to the floor as the door closes behind us. I manage to regain my balance and lead her over to her desk chair. "How much did you drink?" I ask practically.

Kat snickers and holds up three fingers, then four, and ends with five. "This many," she laughs.

I sigh. "Did you mix it up?"

She screws up her face and looks so cute as she concentrates that I almost wish she was this way all the time. "Umm, there was this flask, and then this white stuff that burned…"

"Tequila?" I guess.

"Yeah, yeah, that's it."

"This ever happen before?" I lean on the desk next to her and fold my arms.

"Which part?" Kat replies.

"The drunk part." I've had my own share of fun in that arena, seeing my father and then my brother travel down that path.

"Once."

"So much for lessons learned." I examine her in the soft lamp light and note the beads of sweat dotting her brow. "Where's your bathroom? Maybe you should go cool off."

Kat's eyes brightened slightly. "Ooh, we should totally take a bubble bath. C'mon, you know you wanna."

I smirked to set her at ease. "Some other time."

She runs her hand down my arm. "I'm gonna hold you to that."

Kat's fingers twine with mine and she pulls herself to a standing position. Her body falls into mine and I sling one arm around her waist to steady her, but all it does is give her the green light. She stands on tiptoe and as our lips collide, I am floored by how much I want this…at the worst possible time. My senses have been working overtime, and as her tongue darts between her lips and traces the contours of my lower lip, I feel my damned sex drive take the wheel. My entire body tightens as my lips part from the pressure of her mouth, and when she sucks my tongue with hers, I groan her name in the back of my throat.

We bite and suck at each other like starving vampires, and I feel my remaining control slipping when her hand finds its way under my shirt. My muscles practically ripple under her touch and I moan when her nails scrape across my pecs. She comes up for air and orders, "Off."

My pulse is racing and I fight to control my breathing. "Can't."

"Aw, c'mon, we both want to." I nearly die when her other hand caresses my butt. "Admit it."

My zipper is strained to the breaking point, and Kat stares down at my groin with a knowing smile. "OK, yeah, I want you," I say through clenched teeth.

Kat pumps her fist and crows, "I knew it."

"But not like this," I say gently, feeling my usual resolve start to trickle back. "I want you to remember our first time together."

"Hmm, perhaps some incentives…" She unbuttons her white shirt enough so I can see the generous swells of her breasts. "You like?"

Guys are pigs. Everybody knows it, and nothing ever changes when a girl flashes her tits. I clench my fists and say, "We can't do this, Kat."

Her answering smile is so sensual that it takes my breath away. "Is a big boy like you scared of little old me?"

"Yeah, I'm petrified." And that was partially true, for this assault on my senses was raising some pretty serious wood.

"Cute." Kat finishes unbuttoning her shirt and just as it falls from her shoulders, her face turns green.

*****

I know she's about to hurl and I carry her in my arms to the bathroom that adjoins her sister's room. "Hurry," Kat moans as I kick open the door and make sure the other side is locked.

The seat is rising when she says, "Hold my hair."

My fingers tangle in her curls and I pull it out of the way in the nick of time. She kneels next to me and it seems to go on forever. When she is finally finished, I moisten a face cloth and clean her face, trying not to look down at her half naked body. "Thanks," she says faintly. "You can go if you want."

"Not a chance." I want to make sure she is OK before I head home. "Need some help getting dressed?"

Kat suddenly realizes that she's wearing nothing but a skimpy pair of shorts. "Oh my God." With an embarrassed laugh, she scoots down and picks up her father's shirt and soon has it buttoned up to her neck.

Deciding to give her a break, I say, "So what did you want to tell me?"

"Oh…that. It's nothing…"

"Tell me," I urge as I slide to the floor near her bed.

She joins me and we sit side by side. "Wanted to apologize."

"You have nothing to be sorry for." That isn't quite true, but it is water under the bridge.

"Should have listened to you when you wanted to 'splain," Kat slurs, her eyelids drooping as she slumps against me.

"It's nothing." Her eyes are already closing and I know she needs to sleep this off.

With a gentle lift, I place her on the bed and cover her with a blanket. She murmurs my name and I lean over her for a moment. "What is it?"

Her hand squeezes mine. "Thanks."


	8. Chapter 8

8

Bianca accosts me at the bottom of the stairs. Her raised brow is a perfect Kat replica, and I laugh when she crosses her arms and gives me the _stare_.

"What?" I say with feigned innocence.

"You took care of her, right? Because otherwise, I may have to hurt you."

"Don't sweat it. She's sleeping like a baby."

"Still...not...convinced."

I hold up my hands. "Nothing happened. Scout's honor."

That raises a dainty snort. "Kat didn't do anything stupid, did she?"

Like strip her clothes off and make several passes at me? Not a chance. "Naw, I kept her in line."

Her tensed shoulders relax. "Thanks for coming over. I was kind of worried."

"Don't be. I'm pretty sure she won't be doing any swan dives off the roof."

"That's _so_ reassuring," Bianca grabs my bicep with a grip that rivals Wally. She takes me to one side and stares at the chaos of Padua's finest destroying her house. "What happens if she rejoins the party?"

"Throw away the booze and make a pot of your strongest coffee," I advise. "Trust me, she'll need it when she wakes up."

******

I wake up at 7 to get ready for work and there's an e-mail waiting for me.

_You were right. Kat only slept for an hour and practically fell down the stairs. I got her to drink coffee, but she decorated the carpets with a lovely shade of brown. And it seems that someone used a Sharpie and wrote all over her arm. You know anything about that? Anyway, thanks._

The Sharpie makes me smile at the thought of Miss Manners on the day of the Filthy Souls concert. I thought I was getting her number, and she left me with _Manners_ scrawled all over my arm. I didn't wash that spot for at least a day, for reasons I'm still not ready to think about.

I type a reply into my phone:

**How did you get this address?**

_Hello, Kat's phone?_

**Is she OK?**

_Grumpy, but alive._

**Sounds like normal to me.**

_She doesn't remember anything._

I thought about typing 'Good thing', but that would raise more questions.

**Too bad. It was a fun time.**

The kiss and Kat's unexpected display were candy. The rest was your typical crappy, teenage party. She finally responds with:

_FYI, Kat and I are grounded for the next century._

**Sorry. Gotta jet.**

The phone stays thankfully silent and I shove it in my pocket on my way downstairs. I'm due at Job #1 where I help repair cars, then off to Job #2 at Rachel's book store. It will be a long, boring day, alleviated only by my silent mocking of the customers that cross my path. But given the events of yesterday, there is also a lot to appreciate…and _savor_.

I'm thinking Monday morning will be choice, especially the look on Kat's face when she finally catches up with me. Even better, this time _she_ will be the one groveling.

Let's face it, a little humility never hurt anyone. And Kat is so high on her pedestal that knocking her down a peg or two brings her right to my level. I can deal with that.


	9. Chapter 9

9

I walk by her car like I don't even see it, and sure enough, Kat comes running a few moments later.

"Just so you know, I was really drunk Saturday night, like Mel Gibson drunk."

My inner self is beaming like a Cheshire cat. "You don't remember what you said, do you?"

"Like one of those soap opera actors with amnesia. But whatever I said, I was joking." Not just what you _said_, Kat Lady…if you only knew.

"Oh, trust me, you were dead serious." Yeah, the Marquis de Sade definitely lurked in my family tree.

"Please, just tell me."

"Nah, I'm going to savor this." This gave me major leverage, and I wasn't about to spill.

We are caught up short by the metal detectors, and the new school policy. By Kat's parting shot about cramps, I can tell this will be fun. The uniforms are no big deal for someone who booked time in Catholic school, but clearly they have set Kat off. I plan on hanging around to watch the sparks fly.

******

Monday passes into Tuesday, and Kat is no closer to figuring out her lost evening. She tries flattery, which only makes me snicker. Then she shows up with copies of Car and Driver, which we share over lunch in the quad, with a quivering Mandella in attendance. By the end of Tuesday, she offers one of her rare vinyls in exchange for the gory details.

"Not a chance," I say, wondering how I can use this to get her back into my arms, whether it's step on your toes slow dancing or the sort of horizontal bopping I'm so good at. Because much as I hate to admit it, this goes way beyond my usual five minute crushes. She's not taking my bait about heading to the beach, so this calls for more desperate measures.

I decide to visit my friend Jess, who has a way better track record with the ladies than I do. He's fallen into bed with so many hotties that I've lost count. If anyone can set me straight, it's him.

We meet up at the bookstore over coffee and I lay it down for him, from the initial booty call to Kat throwing herself at me. "Wow, that's quite a story," Jess says with a smile.

"You think I'm making this up?" I level a hard stare at him through my perpetual fringe of curls and he laughs.

"I just find it hard to picture you being all noble and turning down sex."

"This is different," I retort.

"Ooh, can it be love?" Jess says mockingly.

I skate past that possibility before I find myself on thin ice. "Be real, will ya? I'd like to date her, not make Wally a grandpa."

"But you're on a first name basis with her Dad. Surely matrimony is the logical next step." Jess loves to bust my chops, but he's not being very helpful.

"Seriously, dude, how should I handle this?" I lace my fingers together and put my hands behind my head.

"Play it cool. Keep her guessing, and whatever you do, do not spill your guts about that night," Jess advises.

"This from the guy who is so big on honesty." I roll my eyes and wait for him to make a face.

"You want to see more of this girl? Then spare her the embarrassment." Jess's tongue is firmly in his cheek on this one.

"Thanks." I see Rachel gesturing me back to the counter. "Gotta dash."

"Let me know how it plays out."

******

Kat and Chastity have their Mexican standoff with the school administration, and I back her up, despite my aversion to sticking my neck out for anyone at Padua. People look at me knowingly, and I shove away the knowledge that my actions are connecting me to Kat on many different levels. She is brave and beautiful as she sways down there in the courtyard, and probably the strongest person I know.

When Wally shows up and uses his slippery logic on her, he shames her into caving. The pride I've been feeling is punctured, and I walk away in disgust. Mandella is close on my heels, and we shake our heads in unison before heading off in the same general direction.

Kat continues to push her agenda, and I'm tired of listening. "You sound like one of them already."

We reach my locker, and Holland and Dickhead have my backpack in their clutches. "What the hell?"

The security goon admires my bag, where he's already mentally stenciled his name over mine. I grab it and Holland demands it return. I am so tired of all the drama that I throw it at her. "Keep it."

I turn on my heel and leave them all behind. Holland clickety clacks on her heels and throws out the usual doggerel about being suspended. "Did you hear what I said?"

My hand in the air could so easily be my middle finger. It's my only acknowledgment as I make my getaway and stride purposefully out to my bike.

*****

"This is yours." I have my eye on the road ahead and her voice is so unexpected that I sit up in surprise and stare back at her.

A long comfortable silence ensues as I take her in, disbelieving that she has followed me. "You sure about this?"

There is heat in her gaze as she stares at me, doubt warring with a fervency that I find disarming. "No, but I'm doing it."

I shift forward to make room for her, almost grinning like an idiot at my luck. As she settles in behind me, I say, "Hold my hair."

"Excuse me?" Kat asks in confusion.

"It's what you said to me at your party, right before you hurled." I flash my killer grin and she laughs back, all flustered at our proximity and feeling the electricity dance between us.

And now, I finally get to turn the tables. I hand the helmet to her and in my best steely voice, I say, "Helmet," before unleashing yet another smile in her direction. Her answering smile is so sweet and sexy that I find my toes curling inside my boots.

The late afternoon light is warm and golden and draws us away from school and west to the coast, where I plan on showing her my favorite spots.


	10. Chapter 10

10

"So, you jog here?" Kat asks when we arrive.

I smile at her knowingly. "Among other things."

"Surfing?"

"Mostly for girls," I admit.

"Whatever will they think when they see me?" Kat asks as she throws up her hands with fake drama.

"Don't care." I hold out my hand and to my surprise, she takes it and walks at my side without talking.

We walk like this for quite a long time, and I start to feel daunted by this time with her. It is so much more than I expected, when all our other exchanges have been spiked with sass and good-natured barbs. That we can co-exist in comfortable silence and just _be_ is nothing short of amazing.

We get to my favorite outlook and plop ourselves down on the sun-warmed rocks. As we bask, Kat looks around and nods in approval. "I see why you like it."

"Do you now?" I'm looking at her as I say this and am fascinated by how much it unsettles her.

Kat looks at her feet with heightened color in her cheeks. "So what really went down at the party?"

"I already gave you the highlights."

Her eyebrow raises as she laughs. "Barfing, my new favorite hobby."

"Don't forget cutting hair. Who knew?"

She colors becomingly and lets her fingertips graze my knuckles. "I drunk dialed you."

Bianca must have mentioned it. "Yeah. You're kind of cute when you're smashed."

Kat looks away. "You mean nice, right?"

Uninhibited comes to mind. "That's one word for it."

She sighs. "You're not going to tell me, are you?"

I lean in and murmur, "Not even if you beg me."

Her eyes lower to my mouth and darken as she remembers my line at the dance. "Does that apply to _other_ activities?"

I reach into my pocket and take out what I've been saving for this special occasion. "Not anymore," I say as I wave my white flag. "Truce?"

Kat's fingers entwine with mine as she pushes me back and brushes the lightest of kisses across my lips. "Definitely." She digs one hand into my wind-tangled sex hair and finishes with, "If you ever cut this, I'll neuter you."

"Noted. Anything else?"

Her hand drops to the edge of my undershirt and follows the fine dusting of hair that disappears underneath. "Next time I ask to see the sights, give it up."

I realize I've been had. "So you remember."

Her chuckle sounds a bit forced. "Every last bit."

I want to be sorry, but I won't apologize for kissing her back, or enjoying the rather brief peep show she gave me. "And?"

"You continue to impress me." Kat gifts me with another mind-bending kiss. "In every way."

"But I can't even read. How can I compete?" I know she remembers her crack about my lack of reading skills.

Kat takes up the white flag and hands it to me with a smile. "You've already won."

We join hands with the flag flopping between us and as we move further down the beach, I end with, "Wait till the next round."

The End


End file.
